BLOOMFIELD HILLS – Bill Zylstra (Michigan Publinx/Plymouth) did not play what he considers to be his best golf at the 2nd GAM Senior Match Play Tournament final June 10, but he still managed to snare a victory. In what Zylstra described as an ugly round, he managed to beat Doug Doplh (Port Huron GC / Fort Gratiot) 2 up. Zylstra won the inaugural GAM Senior Match Play last year.
“Things were tied going into 17,” said Zylstra. “I had a good tee shot and he didn’t make the green so that was the difference in the match. It was one of those rounds where you knew the first guy to win a hole is going to win the match.”
Neither player had a stellar day and there was never more than a one-hole difference until 17.
“We were both struggling up until that hole,” said Zylstra. “It wasn’t pretty. But it’s just a deal where when you play five rounds of match play you are going to have ups and downs. You just have to be patient because patience usually wins. Things may go bad for a few holes but it usually comes back at some point.”
In the Super-Senior division, Claud Johnston (MWGA / Ann Arbor) defeated George Beeman (Carl’s Golfland/ Clarkston) 1 up.
“The turning point was when I was 1 down going into the par-5 16th and I knocked a wedge up about five inches from the hole,” said Johnston. “We were even after that, then he three-putted the next hole and I two-putted.”
Johnston and Beeman tied 18.
“The key was knocking that wedge so close to the hole,” said Johnston. “It was a good match. No one got more than 2-up.”
Johnson was knocked out in the first round of match play in last year’s tournament.
“In stroke play you don’t want to make any big errors but you can take some chances in match play,” said Johnston. “I think the key is you have to play the golf course, not your opponent. Any time you do that I think you have a good chance of winning.”
